Local municipal governments in SDG Counties and the City of Cornwall have begun promoting a new “shop local” campaign in response to the active tariff war started by U.S. President Donald Trump. The well-produced video highlights some of the many positive attributes of local businesses and communities. This video offers a balanced approach as well, with all six lower-tier municipalities – including South Dundas, Cornwall, and Akwesasne – represented. The video, however, which cost $2,700 to produce, has put the proverbial cart before the horse.
Since the opening salvo of the tariff war, governments from coast to coast to coast in Canada have been examining their procurement rules. The Ontario government banned U.S. companies from bidding on provincial procurement. Canada’s largest city, Toronto, is in the process of banning U.S. contractors from bidding on city projects. Other municipalities in Ontario, including Vaughan and Aurora, have already banned U.S. companies from government contracts. Meanwhile, other municipalities, such as Hamilton, Saugeen Shores, and Brampton, are investigating it. Yet, none of the municipalities here – Cornwall and SDG Counties – has seriously looked at this in open council.
Banning U.S. companies from bidding on local government procurement is a mostly symbolic, but important, action to take. A review of major procurement, from construction to new vehicles, at the eight local governments shows no U.S.-based bidders in the last year. But it is still possible for an American company to bid if they wish, and in a trade war that Canadians did not start or ask for, companies from that country should not be allowed to bid.
There is another step further that municipalities can take the lead on: reviewing what American products they use, from software to paper products to cleaning supplies, and sourcing as much as they can from Canadian companies. That is more difficult, as some American products, like software, may not have a direct Canadian equivalent. But those investigations should be made. Instead, we have local politicians contacting their counterparts across the border – a conversation that has not been initiated the other way around.
Should everyone here try to support local businesses and Canadian businesses? Absolutely, even when there is no trade war raging. Should our local political leaders take the lead by giving direction to staff or amending procurement bylaws to block U.S. contractors in a trade war? Absolutely as well.
Putting together a well-filmed video with our local politicians telling us all to shop local is well and good, but those words should have been spoken after taking the necessary action of blocking U.S. companies from procurement bidding. In a tariff war started not by us, actions speak louder than words.
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